Alifia Sekar, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) formally announced on Sunday that it was backing Golkar Party politician Airin Rachmi Diany in the Banten gubernatorial race later this year, after the former South Tangerang mayor failed to secure her party's support.
Airin, 47, is now set to contest the province's governorship in November's simultaneous regional head elections alongside her running mate Ade Sumardi, who heads the PDI-P's Banten chapter.
"I am grateful that God's miracles and help are real. The PDI-P remains committed [to supporting me in the upcoming regional elections]," she said at a press conference on Sunday that was live streamed by Kompas TV on YouTube.
Late last month under then-chairman Airlangga Hartarto, Golkar and the PDI-P reportedly reached an agreement to back the Airin-Ade gubernatorial ticket in Banten.
The pair is set to face rival pair Andra Soni of the Gerindra Party and Achmad Dimyati Natakusumah of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), who are backed by parties in the pro-government big tent alliance of president-elect Prabowo Subianto and outgoing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
After Airlangga's sudden resignation and his replacement with the new Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, a close aide of President Jokowi, Golkar made an about-turn and joined the seven parties backing the Andra-Achmad ticket.
The PDI-P decided on its Banten ticket after a Constitutional Court ruling on Aug. 20 that lowered the threshold for political parties to nominate candidates in the regional head elections, thereby allowing the party to nominate Airin without forming an electoral alliance.
PDI-P executive Ahmad Basarah acknowledged on Sunday that this was the party's third attempt to nominate Airin after postponing two previous occasions over Golkar's internal problems, Tempo.co reported.
Though she failed to gain support from her party, Airin affirmed on Monday that she was still a card-carrying Golkar member.
"Let us handle the political dynamics with maturity. As a Golkar member, I understand the political dynamics that happen at the central [board]," she said.
Golkar politician and former Banten governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah, who accompanied her sister-in-law to the event on Sunday in a personal capacity, confirmed that Airin was running for Banten governor race without Golkar's support. (alf)